Tougher bans for defective vehicles
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• The Secretary of State for the Environment, on Monday circulated for comment draft Regulations for the imposition shortly of a new system of prohibiting defective goods vehicles from being driven on roads, provided for in Sections 16 and 17 (2) of the Road Safety Act 1967. The main change is that the driving of vehicles can, at the examiner's discretion, be prohibited absolutely, whereas at present vehicles can only be prevented from being used to carry goods.
On the introduction of these provisions the Secretary of State proposes making the Goods Vehicles (Prohibitions) (Exemptions and Appeals) Regulations. These draft Regulations provide for vehicles to be driven, while a prohibition is in force, only in the following prescribed circumstances: a. to a vehicle testing station for a previously arranged inspection; b. during an inspection; c. for test or trial, within three miles of its place of repair, before removal of the prohibition.
The draft Regulations also provide for appeals against the refusal by a certifying officer to remove a prohibition.
The draft Regulations state that:
1. Where a certifying officer has under the provisions of Section 185 121 of the 1960 Act inspected a vehicle he shall within seven days of such inspection give his decision, whether or not to remove the prohibition, in writing to the person on whose application he examined the vehicle.
2. Every appeal to the Secretary of State against the refusal of a certifying officer to remove a prohibition shall be made in writing within 14 days of the date on which he notified the person in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Regulation.
3. Every such appeal shall be lodged at the office of any traffic area.